Improvement in water-wheels



@uiten y glatte figment @ffice Letters Patent No. 81,704', dated September 1, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATEREWHEELS;

titte Sagitta maar in in that Wetters @nieuwe linking gaat tf tttsmnt.

To ALL WHOM 1T MAY coNcERN; n

Be it known that I, BRUSH SUrnnnLAND, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improved Turbine Water-Wheel; and' I. do hereby declaro and make known that the following is `a full, clear, and exact'description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters and figures mar-kerl*thereon,` which form part of this specification. i

' My said invention consists in a novel form ofthe buckets of a turbine-wheel, whereby the water, in passing through the same, has both a central and aV downward discharge and action upon the wheel, thereby greatly increasing the capacity and power of the same, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

My-said invention further consists in the arrangement of the vgate between the chutes and the wheel, Aso as to allow the mass of the wetend-and the entire weight thereof, to operate directly upon the wheel, thereby obtaining a much more powerful effect upon the wheel, than where the gate is arranged exterior to the chutes, as hereinafter fully described. I v

My said invention further consists in the arrangemennupon'thc interior face of the gate, of a band or stop-water, which ts down closely upon the top or langeV of the wheel, so as eifectually to' prevent the leakage of thewater in upon the top of the wheel, when the same is not in operation, as hereinafter more fully explained.

My invention further consists` in so constructing thel dome or cover over the wheel, that access may be'uhadi to the stop-water hereinbefore mentioned, and the-one hereinafter to be mentioned, for the purpose of adjusting the same when. required, without removing said dome, while at the same time a flange rests down upon the top of the wheel or its ange, so us toA prevent the column of water from resting upon or gainingv access to the top of the wheel, as hereinafter more fully described. 'I

And my said invention further consists in providing the ilange which extends from the dome, to exclude the water from the top of the wheel, with an adjustable rim or stop-water, fr the purpose of more eectually excluding the water and preventing its-waste, substantially as hereinafter set forth.

'lo enablcthose skilled in the art to' understand how to construct and use my said improved turbine waterwheelfl will proceed to` describe the same with particularity, making reference in so doing to the aforesaid drawings, in 'which- Y Figure l represents a plan view of the wheel, showing also the form of the chutes for admitting water into the wheel. V

Figure 2 is a vertical central section of the entire apparatus.

"Figure-3 is a horizontal section, taken through the wheel-gate and the chutes.

Figure 4 is arvieiv ofthe lower side of the wheel, detached from the chutes.

Figure 5 is a detached side elevation ofthe wheel, and

Figure'fi is a side vicw'of one of thc'buckcts thereof.

Similar letters of reference denote the same parts of my invention in thc several figures.

A represents the upper flange ofthe wheel, to which.the buckets are attached, which ilangc may consist of an annular Hinge of. the properwidth, having arms extending to the shaft of the wheel, or may be acircular plate, as shown, with openings therein, to allow the lcakage-water to pass through the wheel, which might pass the stop-water hereinbefore mentioned, und gain access thereto.

'lhc buckets are composed of' a curved plate, B, of the conguration usually adopted in turbinewheels, to provide for the central action and discharge, togetherwith an inclined bottom plate, B', open at the dischargeendof thc bucket, to permit and provide for a downward action and dischargeof the water, thus producing a single wheeland a single series ofbuckets, in which both the central and downward action andkdischarge ofthe water nrc obtained, and in which the entire area of the wheel is rendered available as the area of discharge, greatly increasing the capacity and power of the wheel.

The curve ofthe bucket which produces the central action' and discharge of thewater is clearly indicated in fig. 3, while the inclined bottom ofthe bucket, which produces the'downwa'rd action and discharge, is shown in iig. 6; the water discharging centrally passing'the vertical edge of the curved side B, and the water discharging downwards passesdown over the horizontal edge 6 of the inclined plate B.

The chutes Dare constructed and arranged with respect to lthe wheel in the usual manner, between the upper and lower annular plates F F', with the exception that au annular space intervenes between the chutes and the wheel," in which there is arranged a gate, C, which is moved down to shutoff the water from the wheel, as shown in iig. 2, or raised up when desired to admit the water to the wheel, by revolving a shaft, J, which is provided with pinions, jj, engaging with vertical, racks, upon the arms E, which are attached to said gate, as shown, the said arms E moving up and down, as required, in suitable ways o r .guides K K.

By this arrangement of the gate between the chutes and the wheel, instead of outside the chutes, as is the ordinary mode, the volume of water is brought to bear directly upon the wheehinstead ofboing admitted through the chutes before the pressure oflthe water can be brought upon the wheel.

Upon the interior surface of the circular gate C there is arranged a ring, c, which ring moves down upon the top of thellange of the-wheel as the gate is closed, its lower edge being ground so as to fit closely and accurately upon the ground upper surface of the flange of the wheel, and thus the leakage of the water between the edge ofthe flange A andthe gate, when the gate is closed, is c`ectually prevented. 0

This ring or stop-water c may be adjustable or movable within the gate, so as always to be kept close down upeuthe wheel whenthe gate is shut, but as there is no wear between `or upon the ground surfaces of the Bange A and stop-water c, this adjustability of the stop-water isnot absolutely necessary, the'said stop-water being raised upfrom the wheel when the gate is raised to setrtho wheel in motion. Y v

The dome or cover of the wheel G, which is designed 'to protect the top of the wheel from the pressure of the-water, and to prevent the waste and escape of the water down through the centre of thewheel, is providedA with a vertical circular lflange, H, which lits closely down upon the flange of the wheel, which flange A., and the lower edge of the flange H, being ground so as to t substantially water-tight, ajoipt is made which excludes the water from the space within said flange H.

But inasmuch as the wheel revolves in contact with the edge of the ilange H, the wear thereof wo`uld soon leave a space for water to enter, and therefore saidilange H might be made adjustable vertically, to provide forY such wear; or an adjustable circular stop-water, 7L, may be arranged upon the exterior of the flange H, at its -lower` edge, said stop-water having its'lower edge ground to lit upon the flange of the wheel, and being suscep- .tible of a downward adjustment when desired, so as always to render the joint between the stop-water h and the flange of' the wheel substantially' water-tight, as aforesaid.

The said dome Gis secured to the upper Hangs ofA the chutesF, by means of wide arms I, forming a strong and secure attachment, while at the same time'the spaces between said arms I aiord an opportunity for access to the. stop-waters c z, for the purpose of adjusting o r removing the same when desired, without in any 'manner detachng or taking apartany of the apparatus of the wheels or the dome. l

Having described the nature, construction, and operation of my improvement, I will specify what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent.

1. I claim the combination of a stop-water,'c, with the'llange of the wheel and the gute C, arranged to operate in the manner and for the purposes shown and described.

2. I claim the dome G, provided with a vertical rim, H, and supporting-arms I, arranged in relation to the flange F, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. I claim the combination of ariadjustable stop-water, L, with the rim H and the llange of the wheel, in

the manner and for the purposes specied.`

BRUSH SUTHERLAND.

Witnesses:

L. L. Comms, W. E. Manns. 

